Interpretation – tips and reflections

*/ ?>
fallback image

On Wednesday we discovered how Twitter can make a good day out even better. We weren’t too surprised to hear back from our brother-in-law, but another response surprised and impressed us. How about that for a welcome? We behaved exactly as predicted, that is: felt immensely welcome, warm to our hosts (the newish gallery The […]

*/ ?>
fallback image

When we really believe the things we have share are beautiful and valuable it makes a difference to how we share them.  Or, to put it another way, the way we present activities or information carries implicit messages about how much it matters … to us and therefore, by implication, to the visitor. We were […]

*/ ?>
fallback image

Last weekend I ran a workshop for the VINE (Values in the Natural Environment) Project, a small and rather lovely organisation, on communicating conservation messages to the wider public. Specifically, how we could do it better. I played this at the start to remind us all, what we seem to be getting wrong.  Thanks to Gotye […]

*/ ?>
fallback image

The grass does always look greener on the other side of the track. When I train wildlife interpreters they frequently complain that historical interpretation is so much easier because of ‘all those stories and characters that you have to work with’.  Well, yes, that’s true … Whereas historical interpreters moan that the wildlife interpreters have […]

What interpreters can learn from the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony

Interpretation - tips and reflectionsInterpretation and tourism */ ?>
fallback image

Interpreters can learn a lot from other forms of cultural communication – like Olympic opening ceremonies. So  what can we glean from Danny Boyle, the guy who created the London 2012 Olympic opening ceremony?  This is what he had to say about the process of trying to introduce contemporary Britain to the world.. (If that link […]

8 ways to enjoy a heritage attraction

Attractions and visitorsInterpretation - tips and reflections */ ?>
fallback image

There are lots of ways to have a great visit to a heritage site. There are many  types of good times to be found at old places, wild places, holy places, places of memorial, places of bloodshed, places of art, places of story.  There are different sorts of heritageand many different visits. Probably as many […]

How to stop new people visiting your heritage attraction

Attractions and visitorsInterpretation - tips and reflections */ ?>
fallback image

We’ll all seen them, heritage attractions that seem to be trying to do the reverse of attracting.  They do things that will actively discourage visitors. If you want fewer visitors you could learn from their example.  (If, on the other hand, you would like more and happier first time visitors go straight to the end of this […]

What heritage is and why it matters.

Interpretation - tips and reflections */ ?>
fallback image

‘History is what happened, Heritage is what it means to us, how we remember, the mark it made, the stories we tell.’ ‘Heritage happens now, History happened in the past. Which is why heritage is so political.’ The first of the quotes above is my answer to the question ‘what is ‘heritage?’, the second is […]

How to revive a heritage attraction – five steps to success

Attractions and visitorsInterpretation - tips and reflections */ ?>
fallback image

Great visitor experiences at heritage attractions do not happen by accident. Just over three years ago Peter, my partner in TellTale, was asked to advise the Irish National Heritage Park in County Wexford, Ireland. He found a fascinating site, a team with great passion and belief running a severely underfunded, tired attraction. The vision seemed to […]

After the Interpret Europe conference 2012: So why do we interpret?

Interpretation - tips and reflections */ ?>
fallback image

“This is a ‘both/and’ not an ‘either/or’ universe”.  I know I say that often, probably too often; I certainly said it rather often at the Interpret Europe conference in Pisa. I do believe it is true – in life, in business and in our business of interpretation. Not all dichotomies are real, they can be artificial barriers […]